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2 - Second Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference (1985) Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conferences

September 1985

APPARENT EFFICACY OF BIRD AIRCRAFT STRIKE HAZARD PROGRAMS AT FOUR NAVAL AIR STATIONS

Thomas C. Walker Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Phila., PA

C. Willard Bennett Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Charleston, SC.

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Walker, Thomas C. and Bennett, C. Willard , "APPARENT EFFICACY OF BIRD AIRCRAFT STRIKE HAZARD PROGRAMS AT FOUR NAVAL AIR STATIONS" (1985). 2 - Second Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference (1985). 47. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ewdcc2/47

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conferences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in 2 - Second Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference (1985) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. APPARENT EFFICACY OF BIRD AIRCRAFT STRIKE HAZARD PROGRAMS AT FOUR NAVAL AIR STATIONS by Thomas C. Walker and C. Willard Bennett*

ABSTRACT evaluations or trials of bird control methods. Many have The Department of the Navy- involved a single species or implemented its present manda- management technique. Boudreau tory bird-aircraft strike (1971a, 1971b) reported the reporting system in 1981. effectiveness of bio-accoustics Reported bird-aircraft strikes in dispersing horned larks, have increased each year, house finches and gulls. presumably due to increased Nemergut, et al. (1976) success- awareness and compliance with fully dispersed starlings from regulations. Four Naval air Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, stations implementing bird- NC using distress calls. Mead aircraft strike hazard reduc- and Carter (1973) documented a tion programs in 1984 reported 12.1% decrease in bird observa- 57-78% fewer strikes in 1984 tions on long grass versus short than in 1983. grass on 10 airports in the United Kingdom. Many studies INTRODUCTION of the effectiveness of bird dispersal and control technigues Ever since the first record- in reducing bird numbers in the ed bird-strike fatality on airfield environment and April 3, 1912, bird hazards agricultural situations are have been of major concern to documented in the literature. pilots and the entire aviation Defusco and Nagy (1983) provided community. Bird-strikes can a detailed literature review. be divided into two major Relatively few studies docu- categories based on location: ment reductions in bird-strikes those that occur in the air- as a result of control programs. drome environment and those This is probably due to the that occur enroute. specter of liability associated Solman (1971) reported that with experimenting with aviation 75% of all bird-strikes occur safety and undoubtedly influ- at or near airports. Kull enced by Federal Aviation Admin- (1983) reported that 47.9% of istration regulations prohibit- the U.S. Air Force bird- ing experimentation on civil strikes from 1980-1982 occur- airports. Cooper (1970) and red in the airdrome environ- Heighway (1969) reported 100% ment. For this reason, reduc- reductions in bird-strikes tion of bird populations and after implementing falconry bird-strikes within the air- programs at Lossiemouth Air drome has been the subject of Base, Scotland and Torrejon Air numerous studies, papers and Base, Spain. Mattingly (1974) conferences. achieved an 83.3% reduction in Most studies have been field bird-strikes involving prairie chickens at Whiteman Air Force "Northern Division, Naval Base, MO using falconry. The Facilities Engineering Command, U.S. Air Force Bird Aircraft Phila., PA. Southern Division, Strike Hazard (BASH) Team has Naval Facilities Engineering documented the effectiveness of Command, Charleston, SC. on-site reviews by professional

115 biologists in reducing bird- to document the nature and strikes in the airdrome (Kull severity of the bird-strike and Mill, 1985). hazard at Naval air stations and The information collected to dispel the common belief by the Naval Safety Center and within the Naval air community the Naval Facilities that nothing could be done to Engineering Command since 1981 reduce or prevent bird-strikes. and discussed in this paper During 1983, four Naval air provides another opportunity stations (sites 1-4, Table I) to infer the effectiveness of were assisted in developing bird-aircraft strike hazard aggressive bird hazard reduc- reduction programs. tion programs. All four sites were visited by biologists Acknowledgments experienced in bird management. Me thank A. E. Bivings, V. Surveys were conducted to Brust, T. Burst, A. J. Godin, identify existing and potential D. Gracie, R. C. Kull, E. R. attractions to birds. Programs Ladd, B. Moore, J. W. included alteration of flight Peterson, L.E. Terry, R. L. operations, habitat manipula- Thompson, and T. J. Will for tion, bird dispersal or control their suggestions and field and pre-flight planning and assistance in implementing the pilot awareness as recommended bird-aircraft strike hazard by the U.S. Air Force Engineer- reduction programs. We thank ing Services Center (1985) and C. J. Kellett and T. G. Snoich Lucid and Slack (1980). The for their efforts in most commonly implemented establishing the computer data operational change was delaying base and inputting data. take offs and landings until birds could be dispersed from the active runways. Habitat manipulations included changes METHODS in grass height management, removal of roost and nest sites The Department of the Navy and improvement of drainage to implemented its present reduce water sources. Bird mandatory bird-aircraft strike dispersal methods implemented reporting system in 1981. A included the use of pyrotech- data management system was nics, distress calls, shooting, established on an IBM computer avitrol and hazing with system. Information collected vehicles. Not all of these is compatible with the Air methods were employed at any Force BASH data system to one site. No attempt was made allow for comparison and to evaluate the effectiveness transfer of data. of individual techniques. The Starting in 1981, the Naval objective was to incorporate as Safety Center began a program many techniques as practical to increase pilots' and and necessary into an integrated airport managers' awareness of program to reduce the number of the seriousness of bird- bird-strikes. aircraft hazards through articles in the Naval Air Programs were considered Safety Review, the Weekly implemented when standard Aviation Safety Summary and operating procedures or station command briefings at Naval air regulations were developed. stations. The major emphasis Sites 5, 6, 7, 11, and 12 were of the awareness program was visited by the authors, members the need for accurate reporting of the Air Force BASH Team or

116 representatives of the Naval (Table I). The species of Safety Center, but had not birds involved in bird-strikes implemented bird-aircraft at sites 1-4 during 1983 and strike hazard reduction 1984 are shown in Table III. programs by January 1, 1984. One bat-aircraft strike was The number of bird-strikes reported at site 3 in 1983. reported at sites 1-4 is Nine bat-aircraft strikes are compared to bird-strike data included in the data base for reported for 31 other Naval 1983 and 1984. All species and air stations. groups showed reductions in bird-strikes after program RESULTS implementation. The five sites which had The Wavy recorded bird- received on-site assistance, strikes at 181 military and but which had not implemented civilian airports. The number bird-aircraft strike hazard of bird-strikes reported at 35 reduction programs by January l0 Naval air stations during 1983 1984 showed net changes in and 1984 is shown in Table I. reported bird-strikes ranging These represent Navy-operated from -33.3% to +12.5%. Twenty- air stations for which five or four of the remaining 26 sites more bird-strikes were reported showed net changes of +11.1% to in 1983 or 1984. Using Navy +1000% and two sites showed no bird-strike data from 1981- change (Table I). 1984, five is the mean number of bird-strikes per year DISCUSSION expected to differ at the 90% confidence level from a The findings presented in theoretical population of this paper are not the result airports with no bird-strikes of scientific investigations. (Mean=2.2, standard deviation= The effectiveness of the bird- 2.7). These stations accounted strike hazard reduction for 75.2% and 74.6% of all Wavy programs must be inferred from bird-strikes reported as occur- the Navy-wide trends during the ring in airdrome environments same time period and comparison in 1983 and 1984 respectively. with Air Force and other avail- Navy bird-strike reporting able data. increased each year after Reported bird-strikes implementation of the Naval increased each year from 1981- Safety Center awareness program 1984. The percentage of bird- in 1981. Operating hours strikes occurring in the air- remained relatively constant. drome and enroute remained Bird-strike rates increased relatively constant while the proportionally to bird-strikes reports for unknown locations (Table II). Enroute and decreased slightly. This location unknown bird-strikes suggests that increased represented 20.5% and 13.3% of reporting was a result of the reported bird-strikes in increased awareness and efforts 1983 and 23.9% and 12.8% in to comply with regulations. 1984 respectively. This assumption is supported by The four Naval air stations Air Force findings that bird- that implemented bird-aircraft strike reporting increased after strike hazard reduction publications or on-site visits promoting bird-strike awareness programs by January l0 1984 reported 57-78% fewer bird- (Kull and Will. 1985). The strikes in 1984 than 1983 geographic distribution of the

117 35 sites included in this have gradually decreased with study makes it unlikely that the progressive development of the increases are the result the BASH program (Gillespie, of localized increases in bird 1980). The effectiveness of populations. Similarly, it is bird-aircraft strike hazard unlikely that the decreases in programs at airports appears to bird-strikes reported at sites diminish over time without the 1-4 are all the result of input of professionals exper- natural declines in local bird ienced in airport bird manage- populations. The intermediate ment (Kull and will. 1985). status of sites 5, 6, 7, 11, The bird-strike hazard to and 12 corresponds with the Naval aviation is severe. findings of Kull and Will Approximately 48% of the Navy's (1985) that review of airfield recorded bird-strikes occur at practices and management by 35 Naval air stations. Bird- personnel experienced in air- strikes within these airdromes port bird management reduces can be reduced appreciably by bird-strikes. implementing bird-aircraft The occurrence of bird- strike hazard reduction programs strikes in the airdrome (66.1% and providing continuing in 1983 and 63.2% in 1984) is guidance from professional intermediate between the 75% biologists. reported by Solman (1971) and the 47.9% reported by Kull LITERATURE CITED (1983). Like the Air Force, the Wavy conducts operations BOUDREAU, G. 1971(a). Report at low levels. Wavy low level of bio-accoustics at Holloman operations are not as large a Air Force Base0 NM, AFWL-TN- proportion of total flight 71-0006, Air Force Weapons hours as for the Air Force. Lab., Kirtland AFB. NM. 13pp. This explains the intermediate value for Wavy enroute bird- . 1971(b). Report of bio- strikes as compared to civil accoustics test at Charleston aviation and Air Force Air Force Base, SC. Air Force operations. The occurrence of Weapons Lab., Kirtland AFB, bird-strikes at unknown NM. locations (13.3% in 1983 and 12.8% in 1984) is comparable COOPER, A. D. 1970. Falconry: a with the 11.2% for the Air biological method of control Force reported by Kull (1983). in accident prevention. Intl. The Mavy experiences bird- Biodetn. Bull. 6:105-107. strikes at a rate approximate- ly eight times that reported DEFUSCO, R. P. AND J. G. NAGY. by the Air Force from 1980-1982 1983. Frightening devices (Kull, 1983). Extrapolation of for airfield bird control. the reductions in bird-strikes U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv. at sites 1-4 to bird-strike Denver Wildlife Research Cen. rate yields a projected rate of Project 904. 78pp. 100 bird-strikes per 100,000 flight hours. This is close GILLESPIE, J. L. 1980. A report to the maximum of the range of on USAF bird-strikes to air- 12-95 reported for Air Force craft l April 1978 through 31 commands in 1978, three years March 1980. Directorate of after the formation of the BASH Aerospace Safety, Air Force Team (Gillespie, 1980). Inspection and Safety Center, Air Force bird-strike rates Norton AFB, CA. 24pp.

118 HEIGHWAY, D. G. 1969. Falconry in the Royal Navy. Pages 189-194 in Proc. World Conf. Bird Hazards to Aircraft, Kingston, Ontario. 54lpp.

KULL, R. C. 1983. Air Force bird strike report. U.S. Air Force Safety Journ. 7:4-7.

KULL, R. C. AND T. J. WILL. 1985. Unpublished data. U.S. Air Force BASH Team. Air Force Engineering and Services Center, Tyndall AFB, FL. LUCID, V. J. AND R. S. SLACK. 1980. Handbook on bird management and control. U.S. Air Force Engineering and Services Center, Tyndall AFB, FL. 185pp.

MEAD, H. AND A.W. CARTER. 1973. The management of long grass as a bird repellent on airfields. J. Br. Grassld. SOC. 28:219-221.

NEMERGUT, J. P., R. C. WOOTEN, AND R. O. CALLUM. 1976. Evaluation of bird-aircraft strike hazards at Seymour- Johnson AFB, NC. AFWL-TR- 75-161. U.S. Air Force Weapons Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM. 37pp.

SOLMAN, V. E. F. 1971. Bird control and air safety. Pages 7-14 in Can. Wildl. Serv. Rep. Ser.. No. 14, Studies of bird hazards to aircraft. 105pp.

U.S. AIR FORCE, ENGINEERING AND SERVICES CENTER. 1985. Bird aircraft strike hazard guidance package. U.S. Air Force Engineering and Services Center, Tyndall AFB, FL. 28pp.

119 TABLE I. Bird-strikes at Haval air stations reporting five or more bird- strikes in 1983 or 1984.

Site Geographic No. of bird-strikes Percent no. location 1983 1984 change

1. South Central 14 3 78.6 2. South Central 17 6 64.7 3. Mortheast 19 8 57.9 4. Southeast 14 6 57.1 5. Southeast 6 4 33,.3 6. Middle Atlantic 9 7 22..2 7. Southwest 18 17 5 .6 8. Southwest 17 17 MC a 9. Pacific Theater 8 8 WC a 10. Southwest 9 10 11.1 11. South Central 16 18 12.5 12. Southeast 6 7 14.3 13. Southeast 10 13 30.0 14. Worthiest 13 18 38.5 15. Southwest 5 7 40.0 16. Atlantic Theater 5 7 40.0 17. Middle Atlantic 7 10 42.9 18. Southwest 5 10 100.0 19. South Central 6 11 116.0 20. Southwest 5 11 120.0 21. Atlantic Theater 3 7 133.3 22. Southwest 3 7 133.3 23. Southwest 2 5 150.0 24. Middle Atlantic 5 14 180.0 25. Pacific Theater 2 6 200.0 26. South Central 3 9 200.0 27. Southeast 2 6 200.0 28. Southeast 2 6 200.0 29. South Central 2 7 250.0 30. Pacific Theater 6 22 266 .7 31. Pacific Theater 0 5 500 .0 32 Atlantic Theater 1 7 600.0 33. Southwest 1 8 700.0 34. Pacific Theater 0 7 700 0 b 35. Southwest 1 11 +1000.0

Mo change. Actual pecent incalculable.

120 TABLE II. Wavy bird-strikes 1981-1984

Year Wo. of Percent Bird-strikes Percent bird-strikes change per 100,000 hrs change

1981 309 IS 7 1982 414 +34 205 +31 1983 487 •US 243 +19 1984 693 4-42 331 +36

Table III. Birds involved in bird-strikes at Wavai air stations implementing bird-aircraft strike hazard reduction program.

Site no. Bird species Mo. of bird-strikes 1983 1984

1. Unidentified small/ 9 • 2 medium birds Gulls 5 1 2. Unidentified small/ 11 5 medium birds Raptors 3 1 Gulls r- > 0 Ducks 1 0 Egret 1 0 3. Gulls 9 2 Unidentified small/ 8 6 medium birds Ducks 1 0 Bat 1 0 4. Gulls 6 1 Unidenifled small/ 6 5 medium birds Egret 1 0 Starling 1 0

121